The 74-year-old actress was already a television icon before joining HBO's hit drama. She starred in the 1965 action series "The Avengers" as sexy secret agent Emma Peel. On the big screen, she played James Bond's only wife, Tracy, in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service."
Diana Rigg as Emma Peel in "The Avengers"
Since then, Rigg has balanced movies with television work, particularly adaptations of classics like "Bleak House" and "Moll Flanders." She won an Emmy for 1997's "Rebecca" (coincidentally co-starring with Charles Dance, who plays Lannister patriarch Tywin). More recently, she's done stints on "Extras" and "Doctor Who."
When producers first approached Rigg about taking on the role of Lady Olenna, she took some time to catch up on the series. Afterward, D.B. Weiss told Entertainment Weekly, she gave them a mischievous smile and noted, "There's an awful lot of bonking, isn't there?"
"We knew she was the perfect Lady Olenna," Weiss said.
"A Song of Fire and Ice" series author George R.R. Martin couldn't agree more. "I've been in love with Diana Rigg since 'The Avengers,'" he told EW. "She's done amazing work since, and she's going to be an amazing addition to the show."
Rigg's wealth of experience has certainly made a mark on her younger co-stars. "It was kind of 'N.A.R.' -- 'no acting required,'" explained Natalie Dormer, who plays Margaery Tyrell, to Zap2It. "Sophie and I watching Diana at work; there's a nice parallel there between Margaery and Sansa watching Olenna at work because she's been there, done it, got the T-shirt, and she just comes straight in with so much wisdom and authority."
And her zingers have been so good -- quite as deliciously sharp as those of Maggie Smith on "Downton Abbey" -- that the show's writers have expanded her role. They've added scenes between Lady Olenna and Tywin Lannister (pairing her again with Dance) and the equally sharp-tongued Tyrion (Peter Dinklage).
That's one battle (of wits) scene we can't wait to see!
